EP0778472A3 - Circuit and method for determining time of arrival - Google Patents

Circuit and method for determining time of arrival Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0778472A3
EP0778472A3 EP96119493A EP96119493A EP0778472A3 EP 0778472 A3 EP0778472 A3 EP 0778472A3 EP 96119493 A EP96119493 A EP 96119493A EP 96119493 A EP96119493 A EP 96119493A EP 0778472 A3 EP0778472 A3 EP 0778472A3
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
signal
cross
analog
arrival
delayed
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP96119493A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0778472B1 (en
EP0778472A2 (en
Inventor
Charles E. Nourrcier
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Raytheon Co
Original Assignee
Hughes Aircraft Co
HE Holdings Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Hughes Aircraft Co, HE Holdings Inc filed Critical Hughes Aircraft Co
Publication of EP0778472A2 publication Critical patent/EP0778472A2/en
Publication of EP0778472A3 publication Critical patent/EP0778472A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0778472B1 publication Critical patent/EP0778472B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
    • G01S17/00—Systems using the reflection or reradiation of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. lidar systems
    • G01S17/02—Systems using the reflection of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
    • G01S17/06—Systems determining position data of a target
    • G01S17/08—Systems determining position data of a target for measuring distance only
    • G01S17/10—Systems determining position data of a target for measuring distance only using transmission of interrupted, pulse-modulated waves
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
    • G01S7/00—Details of systems according to groups G01S13/00, G01S15/00, G01S17/00
    • G01S7/48—Details of systems according to groups G01S13/00, G01S15/00, G01S17/00 of systems according to group G01S17/00
    • G01S7/483—Details of pulse systems
    • G01S7/486—Receivers
    • G01S7/4865—Time delay measurement, e.g. time-of-flight measurement, time of arrival measurement or determining the exact position of a peak
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
    • G01S7/00—Details of systems according to groups G01S13/00, G01S15/00, G01S17/00
    • G01S7/48—Details of systems according to groups G01S13/00, G01S15/00, G01S17/00 of systems according to group G01S17/00
    • G01S7/483—Details of pulse systems
    • G01S7/486—Receivers
    • G01S7/487—Extracting wanted echo signals, e.g. pulse detection
    • G01S7/4873—Extracting wanted echo signals, e.g. pulse detection by deriving and controlling a threshold value
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
    • G01S17/00—Systems using the reflection or reradiation of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. lidar systems
    • G01S17/02—Systems using the reflection of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
    • G01S17/06—Systems determining position data of a target
    • G01S17/08—Systems determining position data of a target for measuring distance only
    • G01S17/10—Systems determining position data of a target for measuring distance only using transmission of interrupted, pulse-modulated waves
    • G01S17/18—Systems determining position data of a target for measuring distance only using transmission of interrupted, pulse-modulated waves wherein range gates are used

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Radar, Positioning & Navigation (AREA)
  • Remote Sensing (AREA)
  • Electromagnetism (AREA)
  • Dc Digital Transmission (AREA)
  • Optical Radar Systems And Details Thereof (AREA)
  • Pulse Circuits (AREA)
  • Optical Communication System (AREA)

Abstract

An improved circuit and a method of making precise time of arrival measurements on optical pulse data of relatively varying widths are disclosed. The invention provides an analog input signal (B) representing received optical pulse data, along with a delayed version (A) of the analog input signal (B). The time of delay is set such that the original analog signal (B) and the delayed analog signal (A) cross each other at a predetermined point. This cross-over consistently occurs at the same point on the signal independent of the size or shape of the analog pulse. Preferably, the cross-over occurs at approximately 70 % of the maximum analog signal amplitude. The cross-over point between the original signal (B) and the delayed signal (A) triggers the generation of the leading edge of a time of arrival pulse (E).
EP96119493A 1995-12-06 1996-12-05 Circuit and method for determining time of arrival Expired - Lifetime EP0778472B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US08/568,326 US5726742A (en) 1995-12-06 1995-12-06 Circuit and method for determining time of arrival
US568326 1995-12-06

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0778472A2 EP0778472A2 (en) 1997-06-11
EP0778472A3 true EP0778472A3 (en) 1998-10-07
EP0778472B1 EP0778472B1 (en) 2003-03-12

Family

ID=24270832

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP96119493A Expired - Lifetime EP0778472B1 (en) 1995-12-06 1996-12-05 Circuit and method for determining time of arrival

Country Status (7)

Country Link
US (1) US5726742A (en)
EP (1) EP0778472B1 (en)
CA (1) CA2191918C (en)
DE (1) DE69626611T2 (en)
ES (1) ES2194073T3 (en)
IL (1) IL119770A (en)
NO (1) NO965180L (en)

Families Citing this family (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH1048338A (en) * 1996-05-20 1998-02-20 Olympus Optical Co Ltd Distance measuring apparatus
JPH11214972A (en) * 1998-01-26 1999-08-06 Mitsubishi Electric Corp Semiconductor circuit device and receiver circuit
JP2000065929A (en) 1998-08-21 2000-03-03 Olympus Optical Co Ltd Method for measuring distance and distance-measuring apparatus
US6549594B1 (en) 1999-05-28 2003-04-15 Nortel Networks Timing phase recovery method and apparatus
US6510186B1 (en) 1999-05-28 2003-01-21 Nortel Networks Limited Signal time of arrival estimation method and system
FR2805682B1 (en) * 2000-02-28 2002-05-31 St Microelectronics Sa VERY CONSUMPTION COMPARISON DEVICE
DE10026534A1 (en) * 2000-05-27 2002-02-28 Diehl Munitionssysteme Gmbh Laser distance measuring device for an igniter
US6842231B2 (en) * 2002-09-30 2005-01-11 Raytheon Company Method for improved range accuracy in laser range finders
JP4037774B2 (en) * 2003-02-19 2008-01-23 富士通テン株式会社 Radar equipment
KR100692569B1 (en) * 2005-03-25 2007-03-13 삼성전자주식회사 Method and apparatus for distance measurement using low frequency signal
US7206062B2 (en) * 2005-04-18 2007-04-17 Raytheon Company Readout integrated circuit (ROIC) for laser detection and ranging (LADAR) system and method for using same
KR100780195B1 (en) * 2006-11-06 2007-11-27 삼성전기주식회사 Apparatus and method for detecting overlap of pulses and apparatus for estimating distance comprising the same
US11471697B2 (en) * 2015-02-10 2022-10-18 Andrew Hewitson Laser therapy device and method of use
EP3489719B1 (en) * 2017-11-23 2023-09-20 Trimble AB Improved electronic distance meter

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3763436A (en) * 1971-12-27 1973-10-02 Us Navy Amplitude independent time of arrival detector
US4518964A (en) * 1981-01-09 1985-05-21 Thomson-Csf Pulse arrival time determining device, use thereof in distance-measuring equipment and measuring equipment comprising such a device
EP0357822A1 (en) * 1988-09-08 1990-03-14 Helmut K. Pinsch GmbH & Co. Method and apparatus for measuring the time difference between pulses

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4676660A (en) * 1985-05-06 1987-06-30 E-Systems, Inc. Method and apparatus for generating a timing signal in a time-of-arrival detection system
CH670896A5 (en) * 1986-08-13 1989-07-14 Zellweger Uster Ag
US5382848A (en) * 1992-09-11 1995-01-17 Hughes Aircraft Company Digital integrated time of arrival detector

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3763436A (en) * 1971-12-27 1973-10-02 Us Navy Amplitude independent time of arrival detector
US4518964A (en) * 1981-01-09 1985-05-21 Thomson-Csf Pulse arrival time determining device, use thereof in distance-measuring equipment and measuring equipment comprising such a device
EP0357822A1 (en) * 1988-09-08 1990-03-14 Helmut K. Pinsch GmbH & Co. Method and apparatus for measuring the time difference between pulses

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
COVA S: "CONSTANT-FRACTION CIRCUITS FOR PICOSECOND PHOTON TIMING WITH MICROCHANNEL PLATE PHOTOMULTIPLIERS", REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS, vol. 64, no. 1, 1 January 1993 (1993-01-01), pages 118 - 124, XP000330734 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
IL119770A (en) 1999-05-09
ES2194073T3 (en) 2003-11-16
DE69626611D1 (en) 2003-04-17
EP0778472B1 (en) 2003-03-12
IL119770A0 (en) 1997-03-18
NO965180L (en) 1997-06-09
NO965180D0 (en) 1996-12-04
DE69626611T2 (en) 2004-02-12
US5726742A (en) 1998-03-10
CA2191918A1 (en) 1997-06-07
CA2191918C (en) 2000-04-11
EP0778472A2 (en) 1997-06-11

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